Automotive News

PREVIEW: 2022 Nissan Pathfinder new, improved at age 35

Nearly two million Nissan Pathfinder sport utility vehicles have sold since the rugged, mid-sized automobile debut 35 years ago. For 2022, the Pathfinder is powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 engine with 284 horsepower and a nine-speed automatic transmission. It also features a best-in-class 6,000-pound maximum towing capacity with Trailer Sway standard. The new Pathfinder has a “boxed out” rear lift gate. It’s an homage to the original Pathfinder and features oversized satin chrome PATHFINDER lettering. There are now 14 available color combinations. Nissan Pathfinder: 2 million sales, 35 years All-wheel-drive models come with Nissan‘s “Intelligent 4WD.” It features a seven-position drive and terrain mode selector with Standard, Sport, Eco, Snow, Sand, Mud/Rut, and Tow modes that adjust throttle mapping and

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Ford regains pickup truck towing capacity lead from Chevy

MotorTrend has just released a comprehensive look at all things related to 2021 trucks, payload to towing capacities, gas mileage averages to bed quality. One of the most coveted category titles is towing capacities for half-ton pick-up trucks. According to the publication, Ford has recaptured the lead among mainstream manufacturers. Towing capacity: Ford No.1, Chevy No. 2 Its F-150 has a maximum towing capacity of 14,000 pounds. Two-wheel drive F-150s fitted with the 3.5L EcoBoost V-6 and either SuperCab or SuperCrew can be configured to hit this maximum weight. Four-wheel drive Ford F-150 trucks drop 100 pounds to 13,900 pounds of max towing ability. Chevrolet‘s Silverado and GMC’s Sierra can tow a maximum of 13,300 pounds with a 6.2L V-8

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Consumer Reports: 2021 Jeep, Honda only recommended trucks

Pickup trucks continue to dominate sales in the United States. But the volume doesn’t impress Consumer Reports. Among the 17 pickup trucks tested by the leading consumer organization, only the Honda Ridgeline and the Jeep Gladiator were recommended. The Ridgeline achieved a score of 65, the highest mark among all trucks tested. Consumer Reports conducts about 50 different tests on the vehicles it evaluates. It evaluates braking to handling, comfort to safety and as fuel economy. Predicted reliability, owner satisfaction, safety technology and crash test results are also factored into overall results. Consumer Reports slams most pickup trucks The Gladiator and Ridgeline are both mid-sized trucks. No full-sized truck were recommended. The Ridgeline scored average or better in every category.

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Rivian pickup moves into battery warranty lead over Tesla

A few months before its first deliveries, Rivian has taken the electric vehicle battery warranty over Tesla among pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. The warranty for the Rivian R1T electric pickup and R1S electric SUV is eight years or 175,000 miles (whichever comes first). That covers all components of the battery pack and a minimum of 70 percent of battery capacity. Tesla‘s longest warranty is also eight years or 150,000 miles, and also covers up to 70 percent of the original battery capacity. But that warranty is only available on the Model S and Model X, with other models getting less mileage. The Model 3 Standard Range warranty only covers 100,000 miles; the warranty for all other Model 3

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New RV show and The Weekly Driver find way in heavy podcast traffic

A woman drove onto the lawn at The Santa Lucia Preserve in Carmel Valley in a dark blue new Rolls-Royce Ghost. Everyone attending the private event at Monterey Auto Week in 2017 simultaneously turned to look at the artwork on wheels. A few minutes later, the Rolls-Royce was humbled by a local guy who arrived in his pristine, bright red 1955 Ford F-100. The new $500,000 rarity of English workmanship was “runner-up” to a 62-year-old $12,000 pickup truck. The occasion, an interview with the truck’s owner, and visits to the Mecum Auction and other events were the subject of The Weekly Driver Podcast debut. Co-host Bruce Aldrich, a producer, photographer, videographer and long-time friend, and I are now approaching four years and

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Tiger Woods driving nearly twice the speed limit in SUV crash

Tiger Woods was driving nearly twice the speed limit on a stretch of Southern California road infamous for accidents when he crashed a 2021 Genesis GV80 sport utility vehicle Feb. 23 and suffered several potentially career-ending leg injuries. According to Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva, Woods was traveling between 84 and 87 miles per hour in a 45 m.p.h. zone. Villanueva said at a news conference Woods was traveling at an estimated 75 m.p.h. when it struck a tree. “The primary causal factor for the collision was Tiger Woods driving at an unsafe speed for the road conditions and being unable to negotiate the curve,” said Villanueva. Woods was not cited for driving too fast and no criminal charges

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Volkswagen pranks car industry; April Fools’ joke backfires

Sometimes, car manufacturers try too hard. The latest example is the Volkswagen non-announcement-turned-announcement-turned prank. A day after a pending name change was unveiled by USA Today and later confirmed by the manufacturer, the German automaker Volkswagen said it will not be changing the name of its U.S. operations to “Voltswagen of America.” As many automotive publications speculated, the March 29 missive was thought to be a premature April Fools’ Day joke to raise awareness about the company’s all-electric ID.4. Volkswagen confirmed to publications the report was legitimate. Volkswagen will get hurt by its own prank But The Wall Street Journal reported on March 30 the announcement was an elaborate joke. Volkswagen is expected to announce an update to the bizarre

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Volkswagen to Voltswagen? Badge remains the same

(This post has been updated here. It’s an April Fools’ joke gone bad.) Volkswagen will soon be Voltswagen, at least in the German automaker’s expanding lineup of electric vehicles. And it’s no joke. First reported by USA Today when one of the publication’s reporters noted the pending change was briefly posted on the manufacturer’s website, the unusual move was immediately perceived as an early April Fool’s joke. As the news reached other media outlets, Volkswagen removed the website post dated April 29 but was published March 29. Volkswagen to Voltswagen? Really? But VW has since confirmed the report, although details remain unclear. “The automaker said, “more than a name change, ‘Voltswagen’ is a public declaration of the company’s future-forward investment

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They’re back: New Hummer EVs still have swagger

Previously known for its outrageous design and as a favorite vehicle of actor and former governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the new GMC Hummer EV will look significantly different. And, finally, more details are now available for its pending debut. Its engine and many other features will also different than its extinct predecessor. The new Hummer will be an all-electric, full-size luxury pickup with a long driving range. Here are some new attributes: Crabwalk. In low-speed situations, the front and rear wheels can turn the same way for a “crabbing” type maneuver. The rear wheels can also turn opposite the front. The feature improves precise handling at higher speed and a tight turning radius at lower speeds. New Hummer: New

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America’s freeways: the land of spilled milk and money

Freeways full of bees spilled milk, frozen pizza and money? Who knew? They could have been scenes from comedy movies or low-level horror films. And since no one was seriously hurt, a little humor seems just fine when discussing some of the unusual cargo that’s fallen or spilled off trucks traveling the country’s freeways. The industry site freightwaves.com has documented odd circumstances when something’s gone wrong — 14 million bees in on the I-5 median at the I-405 interchange near Lynwood, Washington to the hundreds of pizzas spilled on the intersection of two freeways in Little Rock, Arkansas on I-30, near of I-430. Freeways are often full of unsafe stuff A payload of milk spilled in a crash on the

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New Ford Super Duty Trucks: big, bad, ready soon

The pending 2022 Ford Super Duty Trucks define the brawn and bravado of pickup trucks. The models — F-250, F-350 and F-450 — have impressive statistics for the mammoth segment, specifically in areas important for RVers. Powered by gasoline and diesel engine options, the 2022 model beasts have options: The 7.3-liter gasoline V-8 produces 430 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque; Ford Super Duty Trucks: Big, Bad The turbodiesel 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 churns includes 475 horsepower ad and 1,050 lb-ft of torque; A gasoline 6.2-liter V-8 also remains available. Current max towing and hauling numbers are also massive: 37,000 pounds gooseneck, 32,500 pounds fifth-wheel, 24,200 pounds conventional and 7,850 pounds for payload. The 2022 Ford Super Duty will be

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Carvana offers good slot odds in Las Vegas on used cars

A vending machine isn’t a slot machine. But almost anything goes in Las Vegas, so why not spend thousands of dollars in a vending machine in Sin City? You can buy a used car. Less than a month ago, Carvana, the online used auto company opened another of its e-commerce locations, its first in Nevada. It’s the newest location for the company’s “vending machine” approach. Via its location in an 11-story glass tower, located at 3720 Morgan Cashman’s Way, off I-15 south between Spring Mountain and Flamingo Blvd., customers can observe various vehicles for sale. If a customer decides to purchase a vehicle, they can have the car delivered to pick it up at the vending machine. Carvana offers good

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Toyota seeks to revive Yaris interest with Cross SUV

COLLABORATIVE CONTENT Following other manufacturers, Toyota is looking to revive interest in the declining Yaris brand by launching an SUV model of one of its best-known models. The Toyota Yaris Cross is a small SUV that looks way more stylish than any other Yaris to date. They’ve usually been as exciting as a new pair of socks. The Urban Cruiser, Toyota‘s last foray into the small SUV market, was discontinued in 2012 after only three years on the market. But the manufacturer has repeatedly demonstrated its automotive foresight. As with other Toyota vehicles, the Yaris Cross comes with the manufacturer’s flagship hybrid drivetrain that allows for both fuel and electric operation. Toyota Says No Yaris Cross in U.S. The small

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The legacy of BMW includes 2 funky pickup trucks

BMW makes vehicles admired by many performance-car enthusiasts. The automaker’s reputation, like other German automakers’ pedigrees, is well-heeled and varied. The carmaker makes comfortable sedans that power along the open road like sports cars. What’s less known is BMW’s foray into pickup trucks. It made the E30 M3 and the E92 M3. The E30 M3 debut in 1986. It had a 2.3 liter engine with 200 horsepower and it was a soft top convertible. The pickup wasn’t a success but it lasted for 26 years — as a transport vehicle for the manufacturer. BMW pickup trucks didn’t sell well The carmaker also made a second M3 pickup, the E92. It included a 4.0-liter V8. It was short-lived and only was

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It’s not a canoe. It’s a Canoo, a new electric pickup truck

There’s another new electric truck on the horizon, the oddly named Canoo. formerly known as Evelozcity, Canoo is an American manufacturer headquartered in Torrance, California. While specs and pricing weren’t announced, the start-up announced it will debut its trucks in 2023. The trucks will be offered with single-motor and dual-motor all-wheel-drive options. The latter version is touted to produce 600 horsepower and 550 foot-pounds of torque. Canoo said its trucks will have 1,800-pound payload capacitors and a 200-mile range. The Canoo will be built on the same modular platform as Canoo’s other vehicles. The company announced last December a lineup of delivery vans. Its new dual-motor truck will deliver up to 600 horsepower and 550 lb-ft of torque. The Canoo

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Covid-19 oddity: dirtier, older cars, trucks

The automotive industry has been affected as much many as other major industries by Covid-19, including an increase in the average age of vehicles in the road. If the prediction holds, the average age of cars, trucks and RVs still on road will soon surpass 12 years — the highest level among American drivers in nearly two decades — according to industry analysts. The current rate is 11.9 years, a slight increase from 2018 reports IHS Market Ltd., the England-based global data company. While vehicle longevity was increasing before the pandemic, the Covid-19 crisis has resulted in further economic decision-making. Covid-19 could be a boom for auto repair shops As a result of keeping vehicles longer, emissions and safety issues

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